Poached chicken or fish has a juicy tenderness not found in boiled food. For food to be poached it must be submerged, or partly submerged, in a flavored liquid (such as syrup or stock), and cooked so that the liquid barely moves. It is an excellent way to cook delicate fruit.

Foods can be cooled in their poaching liquid, which stops them drying out, but the poaching pan should be stood in cold water so that the contents cool quickly. This is to prevent the food going bad, as it might if kept too long in a warm, steamy atmosphere.